Read John 4:1-42

“…Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”  – John 4:13-14

“My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me the spring of living water, and they have dug their own cisterns that cannot hold water.” – Jeremiah 2:13

“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.” – Isaiah 55:1-2

“On that day living water will flow out.” – Zechariah 14:8

Living water is eternal. It is only given to those who see their sin and cry out for the Savior’s forgiveness. The water of the world is like the water you try to hold in broken cisterns. It gets polluted; it leaks into the dirt and does not quench the thirsty. The woman at the well (John 4) was weary from her unfulfilling trips to the well of the world. She was broken and empty just like the cisterns in Jeremiah 2:13.

When Jesus offered her living water, she wanted the benefit of the gift. Look at John 4:16. Why do you think Jesus asked her to call her husband in the middle of his “living water” offer? She wanted all the gifts of living water, but Jesus knew she couldn’t have a new name until she saw her need and saw her sin. How did she respond?

Notice in verse 18 that Jesus is bringing up her sin not to judge her or embarrass her, but so she will see her need.

Verses 19-20 are interesting to note. What do these verses have to do with this woman’s search for living water? What is the woman trying to communicate in these verses?

In verses 21-26, we see the process this woman went through in discovering the truth and drinking unto eternal life.

In verse 26, Jesus says to her, “I who speak to you am he.” Literally he is saying, “I that speak to thee, I AM.”

Verse 28 causes me to wonder what this woman left behind. I wonder if she left that old water jar as a symbol of the “old,” broken, unfulfilling life she had before her encounter with Jesus. What do you think her reason for leaving the jar was?

Verse 29 causes me to picture this woman with a big reputation and a shameful past running and shouting with a Jesus freedom, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did!”  She was full of living water and she was pouring Jesus on everyone in her path!  How long has it been since that was you?

What does verse 39 tell us about this woman?

Think about your life. If you have already accepted Christ and have a personal relationship with Him, what can you learn from this woman?  Do you have Jesus’ living water sealed so tight with bitterness, anger judgment or criticism that others have no way of knowing you have a living water relationship with Jesus?

Ask God to search your heart. What has the flow of living water blocked in your life?  What do you need to change to be a fountain of living water to point others to Jesus and His eternal life?

If you don’t know Jesus, make today the day that you admit your sin, accept all Jesus did for you on the cross, and invite Him to come in and control your life.

“I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” – Luke 15:10

“But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” – Luke 15:32

Go out and pour Jesus’ living water on those in your life who are lost and waiting to be found.  Remember what it was like to be lost and ask God to let you see others through His vision. Let’s quit living with broken cisterns and unfulfilling trips to the world’s well.  We have a Savior who has “living water” to satisfy us!

God help us thirst for You as believers and quit looking to the world for our satisfaction.  Satisfy our great thirst like only You can!

Michelle Sterling